Senior Research Associate

Job Title:Senior Research Associate
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Job ID: 268401
About Us

Overview

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: Students are our top priority.

1. We strive for excellence.

2. We thrive on diversity.

3. We celebrate collaboration.

4. We champion innovation.

5. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.

6. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.

7. We act ethically.

8. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

About the Office of Sponsored Programs at the Georgia Institute of Technology

The Office of Sponsored Programs provides progressive and responsive assistance in several areas of research administration, including specialized educational, informational, and technological support to research administrators and faculty. OSP provides research faculty with full-service - cradle to grave - support and administration for research contracts and grants at Georgia Tech including the following sponsors:

All Federal Agencies
State and Local Governments
Universities
Federal Agency Pass-Through (regardless of type of pass-through entity)
Non-Profits (excluding private foundations)

Services include review and interpretation of contract and grant requirements, determination of appropriate terms and conditions, and establishment of pre-contract agreements as well as the monitoring all active contracts and grants, including modification of existing agreements.

Location

Atlanta, GA

Job Summary

The Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is responsible for cradle to grave contract administration for all grants and contracts for GIT including Academic units and the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Annual research awards total over one billion dollars. The Contracting Professional will have primary responsibility for assisting the Director, Managers, and COs that are responsible for grants and contracts to GIT academic-unit faculty and other researchers with review and negotiation of complex federal, industry federal flow-through, state, local and not-for-profit grants, and contracts as well as teaming agreements and other agreements facilitating sponsored research. The Contracting Professional may also directly negotiate such agreements. Complex problem-solving skills and effective communication with sponsors, faculty, staff, and GIT administration are required.

Responsibilities include:

• Reviewing, negotiating, editing, accepting, and executing contracts;

• Performing in-depth legal research to address complex and/or problematic contract terms;

• Providing guidance on the risks associated with various terms and conditions; and

• Educating the Director, Managers, and COs in areas relevant to complex contracting issues.

Hybrid Working

Hybrid eligible

Required Qualifications

• Masters - Seven (7) years of relevant full-timeexperience after completion of Masters or,
• Nine (9) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of Bachelors or,
• Doctorate - Four (4) years of relevant full-time experience after completion of Bachelors
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Application of required skills within a not-for-profit, educational, state or federal government contractor organization is preferred.

• Knowledge of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and acquisition regulations of other federal agencies sponsoring research including Department of Energy and NASA.

• Knowledge of applicable laws of the State of Georgia and/or University System of Georgia and GIT policies.

Preferred Educational Qualifications

Certifications or licenses preferred:

• Member of the State Bar of Georgia, Certified Research Administrator, Certified Pre-Award Financial Administrator and/or Certified Financial Research Administrator

Preferred Experience

Specialized skills required for this job:

• Experience with legal research.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of CFR Title 2, Federal Acquisition Regulation, and Bayh-Dole Act and the ability to interpret and apply these regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to independently analyze, interpret and communicate contract clauses, including intellectual property, clearly and concisely.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex matters effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with sponsors, faculty members, staff members and students in a multi-cultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with executives, lawyers and other professionals in industry.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to constantly changing work demands, prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational priorities, policies and procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES

• Respond to inquiries and provide direct contractual services and guidance to faculty, staff and students on sponsored research agreements including review, analysis and interpretation of contract awards and applicable federal and state regulatory requirements as well as University System of Georgia and GIT policy.
• Train and mentor Research Associate I, Research Associate II, and Contract Specialists.
• Interface with other GIT departments supporting sponsored research including Research Integrity Assurance, Technology Licensing, Office of Legal Affairs, Grants and Contracts Accounting, and Exchange Agreements, as needed to ensure compliance with regulations and Institute policy.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE
This position will interact on a consistent basis with: academic and research faculty; management, finance, and administrative staff; deans, associate deans, and school chairs; vice presidents; and sponsor organization representatives.

SKILLS

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Evaluate and negotiate sponsored research contracts and awards including complex intellectual property clauses.
• In-depth legal research to address complex and/or problematic contract terms, including review of statutes, regulations and current case law, and production of legal briefs and guidance to address specific issues.
• Maintain current, in-depth knowledge of applicable laws and policies, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation and its Supplements; Code of Federal Regulations Title 2, Grants and Agreements, including part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; the University System of Georgia policy library; Georgia Institute of Technology policy library; State of Georgia procurement laws; U.S. patent law at Title 35 of the United States Code; and U.S. copyright law at Title 17 of the United States Code.
• Maintain current, in-depth knowledge of contracting practices and business and technology trends as they relate to GT contracting units.
• Complex problem solving.

Contact Information

Requests for information may be directed to Rex Welch, HR Director at rex.welch@osp.gatech.edu

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

All members of the USG community must adhere to the USG Statement of Core Values, which consists of Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values shape and fundamentally support our University's work. Additionally, all faculty, staff, and administrators must also be aware of and comply with the Board of Regents and Georgia Institute of Technology's policies on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom. More information on these policies can be found here: Board of Regents Policy Manual | University System of Georgia (usg.edu).